Engineering Careers in Tucson, AZ
Engineering jobs in Tucson cluster around a short list of big technical employers, led by Raytheon's missile plant south of Tucson International Airport. Mining technology, medical diagnostics and high-altitude balloons fill out the rest. Current openings are below, followed by who hires, what it pays and how to get licensed.
Current Engineer Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Engineering Work in Tucson
Tucson's engineering market is top-heavy. Raytheon, an RTX business and the metro's largest private employer, designs and builds missiles on its campus off East Hermans Road near the airport, and its systems, electrical, mechanical and guidance roles set the tone for the whole market. Much of that work requires U.S. citizenship and a security clearance, which shapes who can compete for it.
The second tier is unusually varied. Caterpillar tests autonomous haul trucks and fleet systems at its Tucson Proving Ground, Freeport-McMoRan runs the Sierrita copper and molybdenum operation near Green Valley around the clock, Roche Tissue Diagnostics engineers cancer diagnostic instruments and reagents at its Oro Valley headquarters, and World View builds stratospheric balloons in Tucson. Celestica adds ITAR electronics manufacturing. Because the list is short, engineers here often advance by moving between these employers rather than leaving town.
Top Tucson Employers for Engineers
These Tucson-area employers hire engineers across defense, mining, diagnostics and aerospace manufacturing:
- Raytheon (RTX) - missile design and production south of the airport, hiring systems, electrical, mechanical and guidance engineers; recent Tucson postings ask for U.S. citizenship and a Secret clearance.
- Caterpillar - design and quality engineers for autonomous hauling, dozing and fleet products at the Tucson Proving Ground and its downtown mining division.
- Freeport-McMoRan - reliability, mechanical, electrical and civil engineers for the Sierrita mine near Green Valley.
- Roche Tissue Diagnostics - manufacturing, process development, industrial and R&D engineers at its Oro Valley headquarters.
- World View - a Tucson stratospheric balloon maker hiring manufacturing, test, quality and software engineers.
- Celestica - an ITAR electronics manufacturing site hiring test and quality engineers.
Engineering Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level (0-3 years): roughly $65,000 to $85,000 per year.
- Experienced (4-8 years): roughly $85,000 to $120,000 per year.
- Senior, principal or lead (8+ years): roughly $120,000 to $160,000 per year and up.
Recent Tucson-area postings line up with those bands: Freeport-McMoRan estimated $87,500 to $120,000 base for a Reliability Engineer II at Sierrita, Caterpillar posted $97,530 to $158,480 for a Tucson design engineer, and a Raytheon team lead role listed $86,800 to $165,200. Discipline, clearance and a PE license move pay the most. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.
How to Become an Engineer in Tucson
Start with an ABET-accredited bachelor's degree. The University of Arizona College of Engineering is the local source, with programs such as the Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering, and the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences feeds the region's optics employers. Pima Community College's Pre-Engineering Concentration, an Associate of Science at West Campus, is the lower-cost transfer route into UA.
- FE exam: pass the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam and register as an Engineer in Training with the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration.
- PE license: after about four years of progressive experience under a licensed PE, pass the NCEES PE exam. A PE is needed to seal drawings for public works and land development.
- Clearance: many defense roles require U.S. citizenship and the ability to hold a Secret clearance.
What the Job Involves
Engineers spend their days in design reviews, CAD and simulation tools, test labs and the field. A defense engineer might run hardware-in-the-loop tests in the morning and write verification reports against a government spec in the afternoon. A mining engineer tracks equipment reliability on a plant that never shuts down. In defense, mining and medical devices alike, the work is not finished until it is documented and traceable.
Skills Employers Look For
- CAD and simulation tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, ANSYS or MATLAB, depending on discipline
- Requirements and verification discipline for defense programs
- Comfort with regulated work: DoD specifications, FDA design controls, mine safety rules
- Quality methods such as FMEA, SPC, 8D and Six Sigma for manufacturing roles
- U.S. citizenship and clearance eligibility for much of the defense work
- Data skills in Python or SQL for reliability and manufacturing analysis
Career Path and Advancement
The Tucson ladder runs associate engineer, engineer, senior engineer, then a split. The technical track leads to principal and fellow-level roles at Raytheon, while the management track leads to team lead, section manager and program manager. Engineers who earn a PE can also move into public work in Pima County, and mid-career moves between Raytheon, Caterpillar, Roche and the mines are a common way to climb without leaving the region.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover individual engineering disciplines:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a PE license to work as an engineer in Tucson?
Not for most jobs. Manufacturing, defense and mining-technology postings in Tucson typically ask for an engineering degree and experience rather than a PE. You do need a license from the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration to seal drawings for public infrastructure and land development.
Which Tucson employer hires the most engineers?
Raytheon, an RTX business, is the metro's largest private employer and its biggest engineering hirer. Caterpillar, Freeport-McMoRan and Roche Tissue Diagnostics form the next tier, with World View and Celestica hiring on a smaller scale.
Do Tucson engineering jobs require a security clearance?
Many do, because Raytheon anchors the market and its Tucson postings often require U.S. citizenship and a Secret clearance. If you are not clearance-eligible, look at Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Caterpillar and Freeport-McMoRan, whose engineering roles are commercial work.
How much do engineers make in Tucson?
Roughly $65,000 to $85,000 at entry level, $85,000 to $120,000 with four to eight years of experience, and $120,000 to $160,000 or more for senior and principal roles. Clearance, discipline and a PE license push pay toward the top of each band.
Can you get an engineering job in Tucson without a University of Arizona degree?
Yes. Any ABET-accredited engineering degree qualifies, though UA graduates benefit from local recruiting ties. Pima Community College's Pre-Engineering Concentration at West Campus is a common lower-cost start before transferring to a four-year program.
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